My Grand Passions
I am fortunate enough to have several grand passions, things that I am massively enthusiastic about. These have helped steer me through life, even when I haven't known where I am going.
Much of what you need to know about me you can find here ...
... and the rest in my book All That You Touch!
Or you can ask my Mum.
Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett
Pink Floyd made 14 proper albums, plus some compilations and live albums.
Syd Barrett, after he left the band (or they left him) made two, and I'm aware of one additional compilation. Perhaps there's a treasure trove somewhere of unreleased material, and of all the bootlegged stuff.
Then there's the solo work (of hugely varying quality). This music is, simply, as good as music gets.
These are websites to visit
www.brain-damage.co.uk
www.sydbarrett.com
www.pinkfloydz.com
www.davidgilmour.com
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers are not just my favourite rugby team and not just my favourite sports team and not just my favourite team.
They are my team.
As Sir Thomas More might have said "It is not that I support but that I support".
I am ecstatic when we win.
Miserable when we lose.
But steadfast like a bright star.
Come on Tigers!
These are websites to visit.
www.leicestertigers.com
www.rugbynetwork.net/boards/login/s103htm?106
news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/my_club/leicester/default.stm
www.matthampson.co.uk
John Keats
My favourite poet.
The person I'd most like to have met throughout history.
His poetry and letters move me like nothing else ... like nothing else at all.
And his name is not writ in water
These are websites to visit
www.john-keats.com
www.protestantcemetery.it
www.brightstarthemovie.com
S.E.T.I.
The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.
Either we are alone in the universe, or we are not. Either way it is extraordinary.
Making contact with aliens is probably the one thing that would mean the most to me before I die (apart from seeing Sean, Rosie and Maria ... but that seems even less likely)
These are websites to visit
www.seti.org
www.nasa.gov
www.planetary.org
www.marssociety.org
Numbers
I love numbers
codes
theories
patterns
I'm involved in the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search and am intrigued by Octanol numbers (which are neither commutative nor associative)
I wish I'd been better at maths.
These are websites to visit
www.prime-numbers.org
www.mersenne.org
And on top of all that
The novels of Charles Dickens
The Beatles
The poetry of Robert Frost
Cycling (either slowly or fast downhill)
Having a lie-in
The Greek island of Santorini
My iPhone
Science Fiction
Genesis (especially the early stuff)
England winning at rugby (especially against Wales)
England winning at cricket (especially against Australia)
Writing
Robots
Films with aliens or replicants in
Paul Smith clothes
Rapha cycling wear
Kendal Mint Cake (pure white)
Christmas in Toronto
Cricket (Test and first class only, not limited overs)
Green
Blue
Organic food
The mystery of gravity
